Former Midlander releases debut young adult mystery

Published 5:01 am, Saturday, March 8, 2014

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Former Midlander releases debut young adult mystery

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The first page of Seth Fishman’s debut novel will conjure memories for Midlanders. The 1999 Midland High School graduate pulls readers into his young adult mystery with the childhood trauma of main character Mia Kish. At 16 she still endures being called “Baby Mia” and she has broken memories and deep-seeded fears from a childhood trauma — falling into a well.

“I had no intention of sort of intruding on Jessica McClure herself in this, but when I was younger and this happened it was the first time the whole world knew about our hometown, and I remember clearly when I heard she had been pulled from the well. I was in the car and heard it on the radio, and we started honking and everyone started honking,” he said. “Over the years I wondered what became of her.”

Using a similar event as a back story for Kish allowed him to explore the repercussions of such an isolated, yet very public trauma.

“This is something that happened only to her that caused this very specific set of fears and emotions she’s had to battle to overcome,” he said of Kish. “It was really in some ways interesting and fun to explore her from that point on. Just thinking of that event and what it would be like handling that fame and fear was just something I was very curious about.”

Fishman’s “The Well’s End” was released Feb. 25 by Putnam Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Books, which was recently purchased by Random House.

After his time at MHS, Fishman moved on to Princeton University and then to University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, where he earned an MFA. He now works as a literary agent for Gernet Co. in New York.

His West Texas roots are subtlety imbedded in the book that pits a group of prep-school teenagers against a deadly virus. One of the characters is named Odessa. He drew from his own high school experience and his time working with teenagers at summer camp when developing the characters and imagining what happens after class at a prep school.

While “The Well’s End” is his debut release, it’s not the first book Fishman has written.

“This is my fourth novel I’ve written; my first three were books in a drawer,” he said. The idea for this novel came about after his literary agent suggested he try a young adult novel.

“I brainstormed and came up with this idea for ‘The Well’s End’ and really hadn’t had that much fun writing a book in a long time,” he said.

In the short time since the book’s release, Fishman has been busy with launch parties and book promotions — events he’s used to attending for other authors.

“As a literary agent I’ve been to a lot of these events, but it’s very weird to be on the other side,” he said. “I’ve been going to bookstores my whole life but to see my book there is really amazing.”

Fishman completed the book in his spare time. After a full day of reading and editing other writers’ work, he would come home to his own manuscript.

“It’s sort of all books all the time,” he said. “The good news is, I’m reading a lot of good and bad things and really have a strong understanding of what’s working, and I think that kind of helps my writing.”

The bad news?

“When it comes to editing, coming home and editing my own book is exhausting,” he said, noting the writing process is easier. “When it comes to sitting down at the computer and writing something — if I’m really into what I’m writing then it’s great and it’s no big deal.”

Knowing “The Well’s End” leaves readers wanting more, Fishman said another book is in the works.

“The book ends on a cliff-hanger and there will definitely be a next book,” he said, noting he’s already turned the second book in to his editor and it should be released in a year. “There are some plans for other books, but I’m not sure if I will be writing them immediately.”